sculpture conservation and restoration

...regularly used, as was chemical stripping (which dissolved the mineral alteration products) and electrochemical reduction, which also stripped the surface of any corrosion products and of “patina,” the term usually given to corrosion products that are either naturally occurring or artificially formed on the metal surface. Patinas are valued for aesthetic beauty and for the...

use in surface finishing

Patinas on metals are caused by the corrosive action of chemicals. Sculpture that is exposed to different kinds of atmosphere or buried in soil or immersed in seawater for some time acquires a patina that can be extremely attractive. Similar effects can be achieved artificially by applying various chemicals to the metal surface, which is often heated to create a bond. This is a particularly...